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local Thursday 3 November 2022

Gershwin Lee: a headmaster who is more like a coach for his students

The teacher as well as the After the conversation, Lee his children’s achieve-
student are people, and let the kids watch the doc- ments. “My father grew up
before everything, must umentary about gymnast poor in a big family. A male
be seen as people. That is Simone Byles, who despite child of Chinese heritage,
the philosophy of Gersh- having addicts as parents who was a victim of bul-
win Lee, headmaster of the who couldn’t give atten- lying, managed to over-
MAVO school, Colegio San tion to their child; she was come and wanted the best
Antonio. adopted by her grandpar- for his children. He couldn’t
ents. “The difference is the believe it himself how much
Lee had just finished super- mindset. The idea was for he achieved. No one be-
vising a ‘strafmiddag’ – af- the children to realize that lieved in him when he was
ternoon detention – when trauma doesn’t need to be a child.”
he spoke with our reporter. an obstacle. Everyone has The realization that his fa-
A group of students unhap- trauma. A child who gets ther’s demands were the
py that they had to spend a screamed at by a teacher result of trauma allowed
Friday afternoon at school when he was in first grade Gershwin to accept that
is not exactly and ideal situ- because he couldn’t read the disciplinarian was sim-
ation, but the headmaster well will be left with trauma. ply a father who loved him
doesn’t let any opportunity The point is how you deal and wanted the best for
go by without connecting with trauma.” him.
with his students. “They feel
that the teacher doesn’t Perhaps the most surprising And these stories, Lee tells
like them, they told me. aspect is that Gershwin Lee them to the students of Co-
Many times it is a teach- told the students that he legio San Antonio. This how-
er who gave them a low also experienced a chal- ever does not mean that
grade.” And what Lee told lenging youth. His father, it’s not necessary to recog-
them was that by getting the late Atan Lee was an nize the difficulty that some
lower grades, the children extremely strict parent who students are going through,
reinforce the bad impres- didn’t hesitate to use physi- because often, the at-
sion that the teacher might cal discipline and demand- titude and arrogance of
have of them, but the neg- ed perfection at school some students hides the
ative consequences fall on from his children. Gershwin lack of a parent’s love, or
them. as the older of three would the fact that the family is
rebel. His grades in MAVO poor. Such attitudes are
He knew of which teach- were nothing to be proud reflected in the results, and
er the kids were talking, of, and his rebellion contin- sometimes parents have a
someone who has an in- ued until after finishing HBO hard time understanding
terest but follows a stricter (Dutch equivalent to col- this. Gershwin applies the
line. When the headmas- lege). His father dreamed same human approach
ter asked the kids why they of his son receiving the title with the parents, some of
don’t make an effort, the ‘drs’, and Lee got all the whom sometimes come to
answer was that “I don’t way to his thesis and then school very angry. dent. “I see what his fears, because Colegio San An-
want the teacher to think decided not to do it. He in- doubts and complexes are, tonio already has years on
that I’m a teacher’s pet”. formed his father, who was From the start, ever since if he is afraid.” top of the list of schools
In that moment, Lee gave obviously disappointed, he was a teacher, Gersh- with a better percentage
them a challenge, to ask and then moved to Spain win noticed that the best The way in which Gersh- of graduates. But this is not
the teacher directly if he where he obtained his way to see the student, the win Lee deals with people what motivates the head-
thinks they have a perspec- Masters in Business Adminis- parent, or the colleague is thus more like a coach master. “If you take the
tive. “I told them that they tration with specialization in is first as a person, holisti- than a strict disciplinarian. first exam period from last
will be surprised by the an- marketing and public rela- cally. For this reason also He doesn’t leave out that year, our school was the
swer, because I’m sure that tions. it is important for Gersh- there are rules to be fol- one with the worst results.
the teacher will say that he win to have personal con- lowed, but in order to de- There was the possibility for
does believe in them, as The trajectory however tact with parents, to really mand adherence, Lee be- every student to drop their
long as they apply them- made Lee realize why his get to know them. And he lieves it is essential to moti- lowest grade (an arrange-
selves.” father was so focused on asks all of them the same vate the student as well as ment due to the pandem-
question: “How was your the teacher so that both ic) and still graduate. But
day yesterday? How are want to work on improve- I told them to still take the
you this morning, what did ment. second chance exam and
you have to eat?” This way improve their grade.”
of showing interest tears It might be part of his per-
down walls and allows him sonality, but Gershwin Lee The headmaster motivat-
to come closer to people, explains that from early on ed his students to believe
in order to reach the core he realized the importance in themselves and assured
of any conflict. A student of a different approach, them that they will gradu-
(who is not a ‘repeat cli- and he followed all cours- ate. The result of the school
ent’) who approaches es and training possible on in itself was not important
him because the teacher this area, from Conscious for Lee. Rather, his objec-
kicked him out of school will Discipline to yoga, which tive was for the students
not get scolded, but will be provide techniques to help to grow and realize their
approached by a person anyone breathe in and potential and be happy
who wants to know more calm down. people, an approach that
about the life of the stu- The results can be seen, is proven to work.q